Retaining assemblies serve a variety of functions. They can be used for attaching a set of keys to a belt buckle, for example, or may be used to hold a device such as a whistle, or may be used to attach a strap to an item of luggage. Many retaining assemblies include a generally J-shaped portion, and an additional portion to complete the “circle.” The additional portion typically communicates with a spring that keeps the additional portion pressed against the end of the J-shaped portion, unless a force is applied on a protrusion attached to the additional portion to overcome the spring force. In order to keep the additional portion in contact with the end of the J-shaped portion, a relatively stiff spring is chosen. Thus, depending on the application, the amount of force to be applied to the protrusion necessary to overcome the spring is high.
In some other arrangements, the entire J-shaped portion slides linearly in order to engage and disengage. In this manner, an item can be placed on the retaining assembly when the J-shaped portion is in an open position. When the user presses on the J-shaped portion, the user slides it manually into a closed position, retaining whatever item has been placed on the retaining assembly. A user typically presses a release button, and the J-shaped portion is released by a mechanism that includes a spring pushing it linearly outward. Such devices are typically fabricated from plastic, and thus are susceptible to fracture under heavy loading. In addition, since the J-shaped member is the harnessing feature as well as the sliding feature, under loading, the J-shaped member tends to separate from the rest of the assembly and the retaining assembly may disengage from whatever item it was attached to.